Knitted Beasties – Page 17

Monster New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2016June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Info, Knitted Beasties

Phew! I might already have mentioned how busy December was for me and the Beasties, but with Christmas now under our (considerably tighter) belts, it’s time for us to start looking forward to another year of monster mayhem!

There’s going to be plenty going on over the next couple of months… starting with a veritable deluge of new Beasties! They’ve all had to keep their identities secret up until now, for fear of spoiling Christmas day surprises, but it’s finally time for them each to have their star turn on the BeastieBlog. I’ll be introducing you to a fresh Beastie face every Tuesday, so be sure to stop by! To whet your appetites, here’s an oatmeal stout-swigging Pint Beastie who made it to his new home in the UK just in time for Christmas!

2015 was a great year for Beasties abroad, and I’m so grateful to everybody who shared photos of their little woolly friends exploring the furthest reaches of the planet! When I said “hey, send me photos of your Beasties”, I never expected to see them gadding about in Canada…

… Enjoying ice-dripped coffee in Taiwan…

…Polishing off Christmas dinner in Argentina…

…Or scaling cliff faces in France!

Please please PLEASE keep them coming! I’ll be sharing photos every other Friday, in my Beastie Family posts! And that leaves two other Fridays each month for…

…Explorer Beastie!

He’s had a bit of a quiet time in 2015, but this year I’m hoping we’ll get out and about more to show you a few of our favourite places around Dublin. And of course Paddy and Plunkett will be back with more tales from further afield… Last I heard, they were heading off somewhere in search of some winter sun. I can’t wait to see pictures – they’ll be the perfect antidote to the blustery drizzliness of an Irish January!

So, that’s what you can expect from the BeastieBlog this year… Plus we have lots of other schemes, capers and new ideas in the pipeline. I can’t wait to share them with you all!

But what do you have lined up for 2016? Be sure to share your hopes, dreams and plans for world domination in the comments! And now all that’s left for me to do is to wish you all a happy new year… may 2016 be your beast year EVER! Cheers!

Merry Beastmas Everybody!

Posted on December 25, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks here at Beastie Towers, but now it’s time to kick back and relax beside the Christmas tree! Hope you all have a super day, wherever you are!

We’re off to enjoy another helping of Christmas pud now, but we’ll be back next week to introduce you to some of the Beasties who headed away to new homes in time for the festive season! Until then… Happy holidays! 😀🎄🎁

Beasties in a Giant Bird's Nest - CrawCrafts Beasties

Beasties, It’s Cold Outside!

Posted on November 24, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

Well, that photo might be a slight exaggeration. But even so, after a surprisingly warm start to November, it’s got mighty chilly here in Dublin lately!

And despite promises of a clear, bright day on Friday, low temperatures and teeming rain did temporarily stop play when Sweetheart Beastie, Christmas Gift Beastie and I headed out for another photoshoot with Eirin Torgersen! Anyone who has spent any time here ever will know that weather forecasting in Ireland is never an exact science, and at least it gave us an excuse to seek shelter in the Natural History Museum for a few minutes until it dried up a bit outside. Just enough time for the Beasties to make a new friend!

Once the sun came out again, we headed across the road to Merrion Square, which I’ve been meaning to use for Beastie photos for ages!

And it seems like there have been some changes since I last stopped in myself – a giant bird has taken up residence, for starters…

The Beasties were having a great time hanging out in this cosy nest, until I pointed out that each egg was bigger than both of them put together…

“Gaaaaaah! Wait for me!”

Where’s Sweetheart Beastie run off to?

Ah, there she is. But what’s she sitting on?

Ha! Looks like a giant shoe. But where’s the…

GIIIIAAAAAAANT! Eeeeeeeek!

First rain, now giants… will I EVER get any pictures taken?!

Luckily Beasties are expert escape artists…

…And charming enough to win over just about anybody!

But we needn’t have worried. Turns out giants are victims of bad press – this one was a real softie, and he even agreed to let his new Beastie pals dance around on his luxuriant eyebrows for these pictures!

And it’s not just giants who live in Merrion Square – the park has one very famous resident, who we went to visit next!

No, not her! Although if anyone was in need of some winter woolies that day…

Anyway, can anyone guess who this rather dapper foot belongs to?

If you guessed Oscar Wilde, then award yourself a first-edition signed copy of “The Picture of Dorian Gray”! This characterful sculpture lives on the north corner of the park, and from where he sits, he can look out into the street and (I like to imagine) make witty comments about the people who pass by.

I wonder what he’d have to say about the Beasties’ antics…

After that, there was just time to call in at the memorial to Dermot Morgan (of “Father Ted” fame)…

…Before we headed off inside to warm up. Brrrrr!

The Beasties and I will be back for more monster fun next Tuesday… December is going to be a busy month, so things are going to be a little quieter on the BeastieBlog for the next few weeks! If you need an extra Beastie fix in the meantime, be sure to check out Eirin’s photos from our visit to Merrion Square!

See you soon!

Mame-Chan and Friends - CrawCrafts Beasties

Monster Market Day!

Posted on November 10, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Knitted Beasties

Oh woweeeee! What a super weekend we all had at the Creative Collective Ireland Craft Fair! I’ve been working flat out since I came back from my holidays, and I think I assembled one of my best-ever teams of Beasties…

…With some super accessories!

I also brought along some Beans (which are fast becoming a market day staple!) and an order form for my Beastie 2016 calendar!

And if that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, my Beastiebuddy Eirin stopped by to take some photos of the stall for a project she’s working on!

She got some great shots of my monster Christmas tree, complete with Jingle Bean decorations…

… Beasties playing hide and seek…

…And even some of me.

You can see more photos on her Facebook page, or check out her website!

What I love most about markets is that it gives me a chance to leave Beastie Towers for the day and introduce my little monsters to the world! I still get such a kick out of seeing people’s reactions when they meet the Beasties for the first time, and I was especially chuffed to talk to people who remembered us from the last time we did this market, back in 2013! So thanks to everybody who stopped for a chat, or decided to bring a woolly friend home with them. I also lucked out with my neighbours – cheers to Kate and Andrew from Baressential soap and Aoife from Diplodocus Books for Beastie-sitting when I went on a caffiene run! Aoife even adopted a Beastie of her own…

Meanwhile, I think I showed admirable restraint… I only bought myself a couple of teeny treats! Explorer Beastie seems pleased with them too…

Clockwise from top left: Hand-bound Crow notebook by Diplodocus Books, Ruth Turpin‘s homemade mince meat, chamomile and juniper natural soaps from Baressential, Ye Old Town Candles‘ Winter Time tin and felt bowl by Teri Collins.

I’m hoping to do a couple more markets before Christmas… hopefully I’ll get to see some of you there!

Explorer Beastie Relaxes in the Heather - CrawCrafts Beasties

Time For a Break!

Posted on October 20, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Info, Knitted Beasties

Phew! What a busy year it’s been – it really seems to have flown by! But I’ve had some good news from Other Work… it turns out that with everything else I had going on, I forgot to take any holidays!

Of course, I felt that this was a problem that required my immediate attention.

That said, “holiday” might be a bit of an exaggeration for what I have planned for the next couple of weeks. There’s still market stock to be made, and Christmas commissions to be finished! So with that in mind, the Beasties and I will be taking a short vacation from the blogosphere as well – just to give us a moment to enjoy the season…

…And catch our breath before the Christmas madness starts!

I’m also hoping it will give me a chance to read a few more of your awesome blogs!

We’ll be back at the beginning of next month, with some new woolly creations and monster adventures to share. In the meantime, keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!

It’s A Family Thing

Posted on October 13, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

Hooray! It’s new Beastie time again! And who’s this battling his way through the undergrowth?

He definitely seems to be looking for someone! Oh, wait…

…There they are! That must mean it’s time to unpack the picnic…

YUM!!

And there was just enough time after lunch for me to take some studio photos of these Beasties and their accessories! For starters, Cool Dad Beastie is a big Munster Rugby fan, and can usually be seen wearing his favourite team jersey…

… And his luxuriant beard is the envy of all his monster friends!

He also has everything his family needs for a day out exploring – they love to go camping together!

And what about our beautiful Beastie Mum?

Well, she’s super-proud of her little one, and has wrapped him up in a cosy hand-knitted blanket to keep him toasty!

She’s a rugby fan too… but she’s a Leinster girl! Let’s hope there aren’t any fallings-out on match day!

Oh, and check out the back of their shirts…

Yes, I know there’s no 17th player on a rugby team, but what a sweet way to commemorate their baby’s birthday! Definitely one for the family album!

And since we’re talking about families, it seems like a good time to say a big thank you to my own nearest and dearest! Your photographing, word-spreading and general support is very much appreciated… the Beasties and I consider ourselves lucky to have you all on our team!

Sleepy Fox and Chilled-out Beastie - CrawCrafts Beasties

A Monster Day Out… With Crafting!

Posted on October 9, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Crafting, Knitted Beasties

Much as I love crafting, the life of a monster-maker can be a lonely one sometimes… Even with a houseful of Beasties to talk to! So last week, I set out from Beastie Towers with a bagful of WIPs to spend some time in the company of another crafty lady, and her marvellous creations.

I met Guadalupe at my first ever market, where I fell in love with the beautiful handcrafted dolls and Christmas decorations she makes. Her daughter also became my unofficial assistant and PR person that weekend, bringing all her friends over to my stall, and keeping a careful eye on which Beasties had left since her last visit!

So while we enjoyed tea and chat, and did a bit of work (honest!), we left some of our little creatures out in the garden, to see how they got on.

Pretty well, it seems!

Guadalupe’s Sleepy Foxes make great companions – just looking at these photos makes me feel relaxed! You can meet more of her creations in her Etsy shop (I especially love the sweet Bunny Girl dolls and hairy lions), or find out more about the lady herself on Pod. And for a dose of instant joy, check out her Instagram 🙂

And what about that mysterious Beastie? Who is she? All will be revealed on Tuesday, so don’t forget to stop by!

Have a monster weekend, everybody!

Love is in the Air… Again!

Posted on September 22, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

Well, if any of you were wondering when high season for Beastie weddings is, I’d say it’s safe to assume that it’s happening right now! Last week I sent another happy couple on their merry monster way… and aren’t they a perfect match? Just look at that colour coordination!

And now for my favourite part – let’s take a look at their outfits! We’ll go with the bride first this time…

Isn’t she a vision of Beastie beauty? I love how she’s paired her simple, elegant wedding dress with a bouquet of scarlet roses and glossy red lips for a feisty pop of colour. They go nicely with the flowers in her hair, too!

And of course, she’s been to the same hairdresser as my last Bride Beastie for her wedding day ‘do!

But what’s this? Under that sophisticated exterior, she’s still sporting traditional stripey Beastie leggings!

Let’s hope her new hubby doesn’t object to that oh-so-slightly racy shot. Where has he got to, anyway?

Oh, there he is!

This guy is rarely seen without his trusty baseball cap… even on his wedding day!

In fairness, though, he does look very dapper in his navy suit with scarlet pocket square!

But why is he carrying a suitcase? Well, these Beasties are off to tie the knot in Italy!

Buon viaggio, Beasties! Make sure you send us a postcard!

Sweets for my Beast…

Posted on September 15, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

…Monsters for my hoooon-eeeeeey!

Yes, I know that’s not how the original song goes… but I like mine better. It really sums up the magic that happens when a Beastie meets that one special monster they want to spend the rest of their life with. And these two are definitely ready for their big day… let’s find out a bit more about the happy couple, shall we?

Let’s meet the groom first – I believe tradition dictates that the bride should always arrive a little late!

He’s looking sharp in his wedding suit… a bit of bespoke Beastie-sized tailoring to make him extra handsome for his lovely bride!

And who could resist that smile?

But should he really bring that pint with him?

Of course he should! Groom Beastie makes his own beer, so what better way to celebrate than a toast with his delicious homebrew? Oh look, here comes the bride… WOW!

Her simple but super-elegant dress is entirely hand-stitched…

…And check out the back!

Then of course she had to have her hair done nicely…

… And now all that’s left to do is to drink to a long and happy life together! Cheers!

Finally, there was just time to get some photos in the garden before they headed off on honeymoon with their human counterparts!
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Thanks for being a part of this special monster day!

These Beasties were specially commissioned to celebrate Linda and Cormac’s wedding! If you would like to invite a pair of personalised little monsters to your own big day, or to someone else’s, drop me a line at crawcraftsbeasties@gmail.com!

Big Beastie’s Big Day!

Posted on September 8, 2015June 19, 2021 by crawcraftsbeasties in Knitted Beasties

It’s been a while since I made a Big Beastie… which is a shame, because knitting Beastie bodies is one of my favourite downtime activities, and Big Beasties involve a good deal more knitting than the regular-size ones! So I’m sure you can imagine how excited I was to get a request for my first Big Beastie of the year… And the fact that it needed to be personalised as well was just the icing on the cake!

Big Beastie’s new friend has just finished studying for a Masters in Trinity College, and she wanted to pick up a memento of her time here in Ireland before heading home to Singapore. What better way to commemorate a stay in Dublin than a locally-grown monster? And this Big Beastie, with his navy and white colour scheme, is a literally dyed-in-the-wool Trinity student!

I also kitted him out with a diploma and mortarboard hat, so he’s ready for the Commencement Ceremony…

…And I embroidered a patch of the Trinity College crest, to remind him of his Alma Mater!

And finally, to help him through those long nights in the library, I’ve given him a pair of stylish specs…

Then there was just time to take a few photos around campus before he set off on his travels! Here he is in front of the old Long Room Library, home to the famous Book of Kells…

…And this sculpture is outside the Berkeley Library. After all, you can’t graduate without clocking up a little bit of library time!

And finally, a shot in front of the Campanile… the first thing that catches your eye when you enter the College through Front Arch!

Have a safe journey, Big Beastie… and here’s wishing you and your new BeastieBuddy every success in post-college life!

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